Course Structure

The National Rugby League aims to establish and maintain the highest standards of competence for Rugby League Referees through appropiate education, training and support. The NRL currently conduct the following courses to ensure all officials are equiped with the knowledge and skills required to be a Rugby League Referee.

Level 1 Referee

Minimum Age: 13 years

Qualification Prerequisite: Nil

Involvement (What age groups can you referee?): Referee 6-12 years only. Referees between 13-18 years may referee two years below their age

Upon completion of the Online and Face-to-face component of the course, the candidate will qualify as a ‘Referee in Training’ which enables them to referee the relevant age groups for a period of 18 months. During this time the candidate is required to undergo a practical assessment. If the candidate is deemed competent they will be officially accredited as a Level 1 Referee.

Level 2 Referee

Minimum Age: 18 years

Qualification Prerequisite: Level 1 Referee (for a minimum 2 years)

Involvement (What age groups can you referee?): Any local/district matches and Junior Rep matches

Reaccreditation Period:4 years

Course Time: 15 hours

Course Cost: $30

The Level 2 Referee course has been designed to take into account the more advanced aspects of refereeing. The course consists of:

Practical & Written/or Oral Assessment ( The practical assessment involves 20 hours of practical refereeing ; assessments will take place during this time)

Upon completion of the Face-to-face component of the course, the candidate will qualify as a ‘Referee in Training’ which enables them to referee the relevant age groups for a period of 18 months. During this time the candidate is required to undergo practical & written/oral assessments. If the candidate is deemed competent they will be officially accredited as a Level 2 Referee.

Please note, whilst there are five levels of Referee accreditation within the National Referee Accreditation Scheme, only Levels 1 and 2 are education-based courses. Level 3-5 are earned through experience across the game. The NRL also conduct Coach of Match Official (CMO) courses to ensure all providers deliver courses at the highest standard.